Northley Families,

As we head into the final stretch of the school year, there’s a lot happening at Northley. From academics to athletics, our students are showing effort, growth, and pride in what they do each day. This is an exciting time in the building, and we’re looking forward to finishing the year with focus, energy, and purpose.

Start of the 4th Marking Period

We are officially in the 4th marking period, and the finish line is in sight. This is where it matters most. The habits, the effort, the consistency, it all shows up now. We want our students locked in, pushing themselves, and taking pride in how they finish. Let’s end the year the right way.

Report Cards

Report cards are live in Skyward. Take a few minutes to review them with your child, celebrate the wins, and refocus where needed. This is a great checkpoint, but there is still plenty of time to finish strong.

Spring Sports

Spring sports are off and running, and you can feel the energy in the building. Our student-athletes are competing, representing Northley, and showing what it means to be part of a team. We’re excited for what’s ahead this season.

Girls & Boys Track Shout Out

Our boys and girls track teams competed in the Penn Relays qualifiers and represented Northley with pride. The girls 4x100 relay team ran a 57.54, a recent best and a strong performance for the group. The boys 4x100 relay team ran a 47.80 and earned a spot in the Penn Relays finals on Friday, April 24. We are extremely proud of the effort and competitiveness shown by all of our athletes.

A special congratulations to Josiah J., Warren F., Tru C., and Royce W. for advancing to the finals. That is a big accomplishment.

PSSAs

PSSA testing is right around the corner for students in grades 6–8. This is a chance for our students to show what they’ve been working on all year.

Testing Dates:

• ELA: April 21–23
• Math: April 28–29
• Science (Grade 8): May 1–2

Students will test in the morning using their Chromebooks, so please make sure devices are fully charged each day.

We believe in our students. We see the effort they put in every day. Now it’s about showing up, staying focused, and giving their best. That’s what Penn-Delco Proud looks like.

Families can help by keeping routines strong. Good sleep, being on time, and simple encouragement go a long way during this stretch.

Spirit Week!

Northley Middle School will be celebrating neurodiversity through a Spirit Week from April 13–17. It’s a fun way for students to show support and come together as a school community.

• Monday: Magnificent Mind Monday – wear a fun hat
• Tuesday: Neurodiversity Tuesday – wear colorful or tie-dyed clothes
• Wednesday: Autism Acceptance Wednesday – wear blue or gold
• Thursday: What’s Your Passion Thursday – dress to show something you love
• Friday: We Are All on the Same Team – wear your favorite sports team gear

Participation is completely optional, but we encourage students to join in if they’d like.

Summer Enrichment Opportunities

Registration for Penn-Delco’s 2026 Summer Enrichment Program is officially open! Students are invited to create, move, learn, and perform this summer through a wide variety of engaging courses offered in both half-day and full-day options. Session dates include June 22–25, July 6–9, July 13–16, and July 20–23. The registration deadline is May 31. Visit www.pdsd.org/enrich for course details and sign-up information.

Staff Recognition

We also want to take a moment to recognize some incredible members of our team.

This week was Assistant Principals Week and we celebrated Mrs. Verna and Mrs. Scharrer. Their leadership drives our building. They support students, staff, and families every single day, and Northley is better because of them.

For National Librarian Day, we recognized Mrs. Thornton, our library assistant. She helps create a space where students feel comfortable, supported, and ready to learn. Her impact is felt throughout the building.

And our paraprofessionals, we celebrated them on National Paraprofessional Day, and rightfully so. They are essential to what we do. The support, patience, and care they show students every day does not go unnoticed. They make a real difference.

Welcome to Our Team

We are excited to welcome our new Head Day Custodian, Leigh Elvin, to Northley. Leigh plays an important role in keeping our building safe, clean, and running smoothly each day. We’re looking forward to having her as part of our team and the positive impact he will have on our school community.

6th Grade Math

In 6th grade math, students are building their data analysis skills by working with line plots, box plots, and histograms. They are learning how to interpret data and draw meaningful conclusions. Students are also practicing measures of center, including mean, median, and mode, along with measures of variation such as range and interquartile range. These skills help them better understand how data is distributed and what it shows.Teamwork has been a major focus. Students are working together to solve problems, explain their thinking, and learn from one another. It has been great to see their engagement and growth as they apply these skills in meaningful ways.

Spring Spirit Wear Sale

The Northley Middle School Spring Spirit Wear Sale is now open. Grab your NMS gear and show your Viking pride. Northley Middle School apparel is available for purchase online through the MVP Sports Webstore. The sale will run from Friday, March 20, 2026 at 6:00 AM through Friday, April 10, 2026 at 11:56 PM. Payment must be made by credit card at the time of purchase. Orders will be completed around Friday, May 8, 2026. Orders are only available for a limited time, so don’t miss out. Please view the store flyer for more information.

MVP Sports Webstores 

Your Voice Matters: Leader in Me Family Survey

We are continuing our work with the Leader in Me program, which focuses on building leadership and life skills in our students. As part of this process, we are asking families to complete a short, anonymous survey to help us understand what is working well and where we can continue to improve. The survey takes about 12 minutes and we encourage one response per household.

Family Survey: https://www.leaderinme.com/s/northley-middle-school/families

Students will also complete the survey next month. If you prefer that your child does not participate, please complete the Leader in Me Survey Opt Out.

Yearbooks

Yearbook sale flyers went home with students this week. Yearbooks are $20 and must be purchased online by May 15. In-person cash purchases will only be available on the last day of school. If you have questions, please reach out to Mrs. Blaisse at dblaisse@pdsd.org.



You can purchase at this link: https://www.barksdalestorefront.com/shop/

Please save your receipt from Barksdale in case there are any questions.

Free YMCA Membership for 7th Graders

Great news for our 7th grade families. Local YMCA locations are offering free memberships for all 7th grade students for the entire year. This is a great opportunity for students to stay active, get involved in positive activities, and connect with their community. Signing up is simple. Students can bring their 7th grade roster, report card, or student ID along with a parent or guardian to any participating YMCA location to register.

Northley PTL Discount Card Fundraiser

Once again, Northley Middle School is selling discount cards valid April 2026 through March 2027.Our discount card program helps you save money while supporting local businesses and our school. Order one for yourself, family, or friends. Each card is $20, and 100% of the proceeds support Northley Middle School.

8th Grade Hershey Park Field Trip Reminder:

Permission slips have been distributed in class! Please return the signed slip and payment no later than Friday, May 1st. For full trip details, including itinerary and pricing, please visit the "Class of" Schoology page.

7th Grade Field Trip - More info to follow!

7th Grade will be attending Arrowhead Day Camp on Thursday, May 28th. Permission slips were given out on Thursday, March 19th and was due back by April 7th. The cost of the trip is $26.

6th Grade Field Trip – Treehouse World

Our 6th graders are heading to Treehouse World this June. Blue Team will attend on June 3, and Gold Team on June 4. The cost is $30. Permission slips were sent home February 27 and was due March 20. More details are available on the Class of 2032 page.

After-School Activities

We’ve updated our list of current clubs and activities happening after school. Northley offers a wide range of opportunities for students to get involved and explore new interests. For this dates of meeting please click here: Activity Schedule 

After-School Academic Support

This program offers students additional help with assignments, challenging concepts, and key skills in a supportive environment. Teachers and counselors will identify students who would benefit and contact families directly. If you have any concerns, please check with your grade level counselor

Safe2Say Something

The Safe2Say Something program remains an essential tool for maintaining school safety. It allows students to confidentially report concerns or seek help for others. Please remind your child that using Safe2Say shows leadership and care for their peers. [Safe2Say Link]

We have a great thing going at Northley right now. The energy is strong, the expectations are clear, and our students are rising to the challenge. Let’s keep that momentum. Stay focused, stay consistent, and finish strong. 

Justin Shivone

Principal

Northley Middle School 

We all want our kids to feel confident in school, and one of the biggest ways to help is simply making sure they’re here each day. Middle school moves quickly. When students miss class, even a day or two a month, they start to fall behind without realizing it.

Research shows that missing more than 10 percent of the school year (about two days a month) can lead to lower grades, gaps in learning, and a tougher transition into high school. Kids learn best when they’re in the room, hearing the lesson, asking questions, and staying connected with their classmates.

Regular attendance also helps with confidence. When students are here every day, they settle into routines, keep up with their work, and feel more comfortable walking into each class.

We know life happens. Kids get sick, families have appointments, and things pop up that can’t be avoided. All we ask is that, whenever possible, you help your child be in school every day. It really does make a difference.



If your family ever needs support with attendance, please reach out. We’re here to help.

Leader in Me at Northley

Northley is proud to be a Leader in Me school—a program that helps students build confidence, develop leadership skills, and learn how to make a difference in their community. It’s not just about what happens in the classroom; it’s about shaping responsible, capable young leaders who understand that every choice they make matters.

Our staff continues to weave the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People into daily routines, lessons, and conversations. Whether it’s being proactive, setting goals, or working together, these habits are helping students take ownership of their learning and their behavior.

The 7 Habits and What They Look Like in Students

1. Be Proactive: takes responsibility for actions, stays positive, and makes good choices without being told
2. Begin with the End in Mind :Sets goals, plans ahead, and follows through.
3. Put First Things First: Focuses on what’s most important and manages time  wisely.
4. Think Win-Win: Looks for solutions where everyone benefits and treats others fairly.
5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood: Listens carefully to others and communicates respectfully.
6. Synergize: Works well in groups, values others’ strengths, and contributes to team  success.
7. Sharpen the Saw: Balances work and well-being by taking care of body, mind, and heart.

Student Lighthouse Team

We’re proud to announce the members of Northley’s Student Lighthouse Team for the 2025–2026 school year. These students were selected for showing leadership, responsibility, and a commitment to improving our school community.

The team will meet throughout the year to share student perspectives, help plan schoolwide events, and support initiatives that strengthen our Viking Vision of being Ready, Respectful, and Responsible.

Congratulations to the following students:

Jolie Z., Kierra S., Jimmy W., Emily M., Nick L., Victoria G., Annika D., Madison H., Paislee K., Abby A., Connor S., Dominic P., Eryk W., Josiah J., Katie M., Peyton F., and Vincent V.

We’re excited to see their leadership in action this year!

Our PTL continues to do an outstanding job supporting school events, activities, and staff appreciation efforts. This month, they’re hard at work planning several exciting upcoming events, including the 8th Grade Winter Formal, the 8th Grade Breakfast in December, Bingo Night, and the Spring Formal later this year.

If you have any questions or would like to get involved, please email northleymsptl@gmail.com and follow Northley PTL on Facebook (@Northley PTL) for updates, reminders, and volunteer opportunities.

8th Grade Events

• The Spring Formal will be held on May 15 at The Phoenix Ballroom.
• The 8th Grade Breakfast is scheduled for June 11 at The Phoenix Ballroom.
• Details regarding the Moving Up Ceremony will be shared as plans are finalized, but save the date of June 11 at 1pm.

• Tuesday April 21st - ELA PSSA
• Wednesday April 22nd - ELA PSSA
• Thursday April 23rd - ELA PSSA
• Tuesday April 28th - MATH PSSA
• Wednesday April 29th - MATH PSSA
• Thursday April 30th - SCIENCE PSSA (8TH ONLY)
• Friday May 1st - SCIENCE PSSA (8TH ONLY)

We Want YOU to Join Team Penn-Delco! The school district is hiring paraprofessionals (new rates!), bus drivers, bus aides, and more. Positions are listed on our job board by location.

Don't miss this opportunity to make a different in the lives of our students while enjoying competitive compensation.